Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-02-24


"Am togo down stairs nowl" she inquiries,
with strong American accent, which rather
surprises me, although have heard that
Cousin Mary spent part Of her childhood In
America.
81 beg your PARDON" respond. eyes,
we'll go down to tea II you are ready"
'This is cosey, and no mistake" exclaims
my companion when we reach the parlor, with
its dainty tea table and bright lights
80 we all tea together" she goes on, taking
no notice of Jack, who regards her as q sort
of phenomenon from the background.
"rm tree to confess you're not SO stuck up
as English folk In America" (The last word
she pronounces "Amerlky.")
No one responds to her remark. privately
wonder II she expected to take tea in the
surroundings there would be more In keeping
than her present ones.
won't you sit near the iref' says mother,
who, can see, is making an effort to be hos
pitable. 'You must be cold after your jour-
ney"
Mary plants herself down with her back to
to the fire, and scans the tea table with q look
of supreme satisfaction.
Then we are silent. First there are SO few
subjects we may breach. We must not speak
Of Uncle Edgar, our Cousins father, In case
Of awakening too painful memories, as he Is
but lately dead. Weknow nothing about her.
She knows nothing Of us. We have absolute
ly nothing in common.
"IIaye you been long In America2" asks
mother, presently; this evidently presenting a
safe opening
Long" laughs our guest, ''Bless you, I've
lived there half my days"
A slight flush passes over mothers face, but
she makes another brave effort. "Indeed !!
did not know you had been there so long
You must find England great change"
"That do, and it's with no will OF my own
/ ever set foot on it. I've been shamefully
cheated" and Cousin Mary purses up her lips,
and her face, already flushed with the warm
room, becomes scarlet with indignation against
some unknown one who has decoyed her from
the New England World under false pretexts
We feel that indirectly she has cast a slight
on us by her last remark, unexplained as It
is; so we keep silence. In the meantime she
fills her saucer with half the contents of her
cup, and drinks them of, poisiug the saucer
Jack here gives vent to a suppressed litter,
and kicks me under the table, but | am In no
mirthful mood. 1t is all too serious.
$50 you keep two servantsa" blurts out our
guest, abruptly breaking the silence.
The question takes us by surprise. I see
Ada's expression of face meant to warn our
visitor she is going two far. Jack uudges me
and taps his forehead significantly, with a
covert glance at Cousin Mary.
no" l say; wha. makes you think sol We
have only one."
'Oh, thought you meant to keep two
now" she remarked composedly, proceeding
with her tea.
Everybody S relieved when the meal comes
to an end. At its close our guest has become
tired OF scrutinizng her surroundings. and
leans back in her chair yawning unabashedly
"Would you like to go to your room now!"
says mother, kindly perceiving the signs Of
WEAKNESS she makes no attempt to conceal.
81 don't mind if do; Pm pretty well dead
beat as it is" says our cousin, pushing back
some Of the thick fringe which covers her
forehead.
you can tell me what's expected Of me in
the morning." she continues, addressing me
with airy condesccnsion.
There's nothing exp .cted of YOU except to
amuse yourself as well as you can" says
mother, gently, apparently touched by what
she considers as kindly meant, rather blunt
offer Of our cousin to make herself useful in Il
house where no doubt she has already per-
ceived there Is plenty to do, and not too
much of the assistance and com ort money
can procure.
GOOD night, dear" says mother, with
moro warmth than she has yet shown our
guest ~ hope you will be comfortable.
Fanny will go up stairs with you and see you
have all you need"
Then mother actually schools herself Il
know it is an effort but a sense of duty is
strong in herr TO kiss cousin Mary, trial Of
moral strength | am not equal to- and pro-
ceedlng which seems to strike our visitor with
profound surprise. Ada proves herself as
great a coward as am, for she merely shakes
hands, and then l conduct our guest upstairs.
When we reach her room she suddenly turns
round to me. ~ want 10 know rightly what's
expected of me" she says. ''It's all very fine
her talking like that"-and she points towards
the door with her thumb to signifS she is re-
rights of the matter. 1t amt just likely she'll
saddle herself with young woman she's to
make nothing out Of"
For moment feel indignant that mothers
Observation-Disclosures should be suspected; then
really began to fancy that perhaps, after all,
Jack was right, and our Cousins brain is q
little unhinged; so l say soothlnglN as the
best way of getting out of the difficulty
SWELL well, we'll see about 1t tomorrow.
l daresay you're tired tonight and must want
to be done talking. Good night. Breakfast
at $3.50; you'll be called az eight and l leave
her looking only half satisfied.
rush down stairs when have quilted her.
Mother, Ada and Jack have drawn ronud the
fire, and are holding family council. TheiI
tones are so grave, their faces express so much
chargrin, that were the whole affair not so cru,
ely notifying, 1t would be too absurd.
'Fanny" begins Ada, in a tragic voice, eve
can't take her to the st. Clare's. 1t would
never do"
81 don't see how we can help it," say,
gloomily. 'Dld you ever see anything like
her2"
"Never." returned my sister solemly; Sand
| | really do not see how we are to take her
about" looking refectvey into the fire. I'm
sure ] should be ashamed TO be seen with her. >
''How long will she stay, motherp
about month, / should think" say
mother with sigh, mot longer"
''Quite long enough" says Ada savagely
while can only reiterate, "a month"; des
paringiy. Then we are all silent, picturlng
suppose, what the prospective month will brinI
forth. Apparently none of US find the rehec
ton cheering.
Didn't you know what like she was whe
you asked heri" asks Ada presently, with uu
reasoning impotence. SIS she like Uncle Ed
garl"
"Why, you know, dear" says mother, ar
swering the impetuous outburst with her usu
al unruffled gen:leness, "rve never seen Mar
until tonight, and she is as like your uncle a
-as-well as she is unlike you, Ada" she end
smilingly.
Ada is the strong point of the family IN pc
sonal attraction. Probably she is soothed
the allu-ion, for she k sses mother by way {
apology, and we grow little less dolcful {
we resolve to make the best o. matters as the
are. So we get our work. and the clock on I'll
mantelpiece ticks steadily, and the fire burr
brightly, but somehow, instead OF the usu
merry buzz Of conversation, we seem suddei
ly to have developed reflective turn of minS